Сумерки

           Atanyrate,she’scrazyabouthim."Ishookmyhead.Theattractionwasamysterytome.

           "Doyouapprove?"heasked.

           "Doesitmatter?"Icountered."Iwanthertobehappy...andheiswhoshewants."

           "That’sverygenerous...Iwonder,"hemused.

           "What?"

           "Wouldsheextendthesamecourtesytoyou,doyouthink?Nomatterwhoyourchoicewas?"Hewassuddenlyintent,hiseyessearchingmine.

           "I-Ithinkso,"Istuttered."Butshe’stheparent,afterall.It’salittlebitdifferent."

           "Noonetooscarythen,"heteased.

           Igrinnedinresponse."Whatdoyoumeanbyscary?Multiplefacialpiercingsandextensivetattoos?"

           "That’sonedefinition,Isuppose."

           "What’syourdefinition?"

           Butheignoredmyquestionandaskedmeanother."DoyouthinkthatIcouldbescary?"Heraisedoneeyebrow,andthefainttraceofasmilelightenedhisface.

           Ithoughtforamoment,wonderingwhetherthetruthoraliewouldgooverbetter.Idecidedtogowiththetruth."Hmmm...Ithinkyoucouldbe,ifyouwantedto."

           "Areyoufrightenedofmenow?"Thesmilevanished,andhisheavenlyfacewassuddenlyserious.

           "No."ButIansweredtooquickly.Thesmilereturned.

           "So,nowareyougoingtotellmeaboutyourfamily?"Iaskedtodistracthim."It’sgottobeamuchmoreinterestingstorythanmine."

           Hewasinstantlycautious."Whatdoyouwanttoknow?"

           "TheCullensadoptedyou?"Iverified.

           "Yes."

           Ihesitatedforamoment."Whathappenedtoyourparents?"

           "Theydiedmanyyearsago."Histonewasmatter-of-fact.

           "I’msorry,"Imumbled.